Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Waterbeach:

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While any conveyancing practice can theoretically deal with your leasehold conveyancing in Waterbeach, your mortgage provider may unwilling to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Waterbeach leasehold conveyancing Example Support Desk Enquiries

I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Waterbeach. Before I set the wheels in motion I require certainty as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Waterbeach - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title.For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

I only have Fifty years unexpired on my flat in Waterbeach. I am keen to extend my lease but my landlord is absent. What are my options?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have done all that could be expected to track down the lessor. In some cases a specialist would be helpful to try and locate and to produce an expert document to be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer in relation to devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing Waterbeach.

I have just appointed agents to market my basement apartment in Waterbeach.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just had a half-yearly maintenance charge demand – Do I pay up?

It best that you clear the service charge as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Waterbeach from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

  • A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Waterbeach can be bypassed where you get in touch lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and ask them to collate the leasehold information needed by the buyers conveyancers.
  • The majority freeholders or managing agents in Waterbeach charge for providing management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the fee that they propose to charge. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most usual cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Waterbeach.
  • In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Waterbeach state that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord consenting to such works. If you fail to have the paperwork in place you should not contact the landlord without contacting your solicitor in advance.
  • If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should ensure that you hold the original share document. Obtaining a re-issued share certificate is often a time consuming process and slows down many a Waterbeach home move. Where a reissued share certificate is required, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where applicable) for this sooner rather than later.
  • You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but it would be advisable verify this by asking your lawyers. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the lease term is less than 75 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

    • All being well we will complete our sale of a £450000 apartment in Waterbeach in just under a week. The freeholder has quoted £408 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Waterbeach?

    Waterbeach conveyancing on leasehold apartments often requires the purchaser’s solicitor submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address such questions the majority will be content to do so. They are at liberty levy a reasonable administration fee for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it is in excess of £800. The administration charge levied by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have no option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

    Leasehold Conveyancing in Waterbeach - A selection of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

      Can you tell me if there are any major works in the planning that could add a premium to the service fees? What prohibitions exist in the Waterbeach Lease? Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge payments?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Waterbeach